38.28882888 There is no chapter numbered 37. Now, as to the expression
which he uses, “Some persons say,” I think it has been made
clear by what I have previously said, that, when he says “some
persons say” or “Another says,” and does not
controvert the opinions which are thus introduced, it is he himself who
is this ‘certain’ or ‘other’ person. And this
is proved by the numerous cases which I have pointed out in which he
expresses opinions agreeing with these without the introduction of any
such person. We must consider therefore in each case whether he
expresses any dissent from the ‘other.’ For instance, an
opinion is put forward that the stars and the other things that are in
heaven are reasonable beings and capable of sinning. We must see,
therefore, what his own opinion is on this point. Turn to his note, in
this book,28892889 Comm. on Eph. i. 22. upon the passage “He
must reign till he hath put all his enemies under his feet.”289028901 Cor. xv. 25 You will find, some way down, the
words:

“It may be observed that
no one is without sin, that Even the stars are not clean in his
sight,28912891Job xxv. 5 and Every creature trembles at
the coming of the Creator. Hence it is not only things on earth but
also things in heaven which are said to have been cleansed by our
Saviour’s cross.”

Again, as to the opinion that it
is because of their being in this body of humiliation or body of death
that men are called children of wrath, he says, in commenting on the
words28922892Eph. ii. 3 ‘We were the children of wrath,
even as others.’ (Comm. on Ephes. on this verse, some way
down.)

Again, on the opinion that there
is first a creation of the soul and afterwards a fashioning of the body
he says (at the same passage, a long way down)

“And observe carefully
that he does not say, ‘We are his forming and fashioning, but28962896 Workmanship Eng. Ver. Eph. ii. 10 ‘We are his making.’ For
‘fashioning’ implies the fact of man’s origin from
the slime of the earth: but ‘making’ from his origin
according to the image and similitude of God. And this distinction is
confirmed by the words of the 118th Psalm28972897 With us Ps. cxix. 73 “Thy hands have made me and
fashioned me.” ‘Making’ has the first place,
‘fashioning’ comes after.’

Are there any other things which
he wishes us to condemn? He has only to mention them, and we can draw
them out from his own books, or rather from the bottom of his own
heart. For instance. We are to condemn as a pestilent assertion that
the nature of human souls and of angels is the same. But let us see
what his own opinion is on this point as given in the books which he
specially puts before us as containing the pattern of his profession
and his rule of faith. Turn to the passage,28982898Eph. ii. 17 “He came and preached peace to
them which were afar off and to them that were nigh.” His comment
on this first expounds the words of Jews and Gentiles, and then goes
on:

“This has been said in
accordance with the Vulgate28992899 That is, the old Latin Version, then commonly used, or
Vulgata. It was superseded by Jerome’s Version, which in its turn
became the Vulgate. translation.
But, if a man reads the words of the Apostle when he says of Christ,29002900Col. i. 20, slightly
altered. “Making peace through the blood of his
cross for those that are in earth and for those that are in
heaven” and the rest that is said in that place, he will not
consider that it is we who are called the spiritual Israel are intended
by ‘those afar off,’ and that the Jews, who are merely
called ‘Israel after the flesh’ are ‘those who are
nigh.’ He will modify the whole meaning of the passage, and apply
it to the angels and the heavenly powers and to human souls, and as
implying that Christ by his blood joined together things in earth and
things in heaven which before were at variance, who brought back the
sheep which had grown sickly upon the mountains to be with the rest,
and put back the last piece of money among those which had before been
safe.”